Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy roundup: The Blaze smash their highest List A total, Vipers stay top

The Cricketer reviews the best of the action from the latest round of the 50-over competition in 2024

ECB Reporters Network | 30/06/2024 at 18:14

Hove: Western Storm 156, Southern Vipers 157-3 - Vipers won by seven wickets

Georgia Elwiss' half century eased Southern Vipers to a comfortable victory over Western Storm.

Elwiss, the former England allrounder, finished unbeaten on 65, having shared healthy partnerships with Ella McCaughan (49) and Georgia Adams on the way to a win over the 50-over competition's bottom side.

Earlier, Adams and Mary Taylor had taken three wickets apiece. Fran Wilson top-scored for Storm with 34.

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^{Georgia Elwiss calmly guided her side home against Western Storm (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

Chelmsford: Sunrisers 253, Lancashire Thunder 224 - Sunrisers won by 30 runs (DLS)

Sophie Munro produced a stunning spell on her Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy debut for Sunrisers in a tense DLS win over Lancashire Thunder at Chelmsford.

Seamer Munro, on loan from The Blaze, took three wickets in four balls – including the key scalp of ex-Sunrisers batter Naomi Dattani – as she wrapped up her side's first victory over Thunder in any format with figures of 5 for 25.

Dattani's knock of 36 seemed likely to steer Thunder past the home side's total of 253, which might have been higher but for a middle-order collapse after skipper Grace Scrivens (51 from 54 balls) and Jo Gardner (63 from 78) had shared an opening stand of 94.

Sunrisers then lost six wickets for 52, with left-arm spinner Hannah Jones returning 4 for 50 to become the tournament's joint-highest wicket-taker with 14.

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Beckenham: The Blaze 318-8, South East Stars 185 - The Blaze won by 133 runs (DLS)

The Blaze beat the South East Stars by 133 runs in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Beckenham.

The visitors scored a mammoth 318 for 8, their highest List A score, despite the innings being reduced to 44 overs due to rain. Sarah Bryce (81) top-scored, Ella Claridge made a career-best 71 from 45 balls and Marie Kelly weighed in with 52.

Heather Graham then claimed 6 for 39 as the Stars were bowled out for 185, despite a defiant 44 from Alice Davidson-Richards.

Eight days after the Blaze eased to victory over the Stars in the Charlotte Edwards Cup final they repeated the trick with an equally comfortable win at the New County Ground.

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^{Davina Perrin made a half century for Sparks (Nathan Stirk/Stringer via Getty)}

Scarborough: Central Sparks 239-8, Northern Diamonds 242-6 - Diamond won by four wickets

Superb performances from Katie Levick and Bess Heath led Northern Diamonds to a four-wicket win in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy against Central Sparks at North Marine Road.

The pair helped the Diamonds to their fifth win in the competition, with Levick taking four for 46 and Heath making an unbeaten 58.

In a back-and-forth opening innings at Scarborough, Sparks posted a competitive total of 239 for 8, with Davina Perrin (50) and Katie George (52) both passing 50.

Every time it looked like Sparks were going to kick on, Diamonds fought back with wickets, with Levick leading the charge.

Opener Lauren Winfield-Hill got Diamond's chase off to a strong start before Emma Marlow (55) and a partnership between Heath and Erin Burns (34) got their team over the line with six overs to spare.

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